The goal of an athlete that performs in free weight powerlifting competitions is to be able to out-lift the other competitors in various traditional free weight exercises that include the standard flat bench press exercise. One way in which powerlifters train to increase their bench press capability is by incorporating 2″×4″ wood boards into their training routine. Before the bench press lift is started, the powerlifter loads the barbell so it is weighted heavier than what he can normally lift for a complete single repetition. He then places a stack of boards on top of his chest while he is in the lying position. He then lifts the barbell from the bench support braces and lowers the barbell until it touches the top board of the stack. Once the barbell touches the top board, the lifter then raises and places the barbell back onto the support braces. This routine is practiced for several exercise sessions until raising the heavier weighted barbell becomes easy and the lifter has become physically stronger. At this point, the powerlifter will remove the top board of the total number of boards that he had been placing on their chest prior to the bench press exercise. When the lifter lowers the same heavy barbell, he will lower it to the next top board of the shortened stack. This removal of boards creates a progressive lift distance type of training where the lifter attempts lifts over shorter distances that progressively become longer. The distance increases gradually as the lifter removes the boards and the distance from his arms completely extended holding the barbell to the top board of the stack becomes longer. The addition and gradual removal of boards will continue during the workouts over a period of weeks or months in a progressive manner until the lifter finally removes the last board of the stack and he can complete a full bench press repetition by lowering the heavy barbell to their chest and lifting it back onto the top of the bench support posts. The lifter can now perform a full repetition lowered to his chest with the heavier barbell than what he could lift before boards had been incorporated into the training sessions.
Although incorporating the stack of boards or “using the boards,” as it is known in the field, is an effective and proven way for powerlifters to increase their strength and bench press ability, there are several disadvantages realized when the lifter simply places a stack of wood boards on top their chest prior to performing the bench press such as safety and adjustability. Unfortunately, the stack of wood boards is unstable and the lifter must utilize a spotter to hold the boards in place while the lifter performs the lift and to assist the lifter in raising the barbell if the lifter can't raise the barbell from the top board back onto the barbell support braces. Therefore, this type of training routine is typically considered too dangerous for a lifter to attempt unassisted and thus limits the time and place when it can be performed. Since 2″×4″ wood boards are normally used in this type of training, the lifter can only increase or decrease the height of the stack in 2″ increments. There are plenty of times when the lifter would like to be able to adjust the height of the stack in increments less than 2″ based on how strong or weak they are feeling on that particular day. However, utilizing boards thinner than 2″ would be considered too cumbersome, unstable, and dangerous.
It would therefore be useful to have a self-controlled device to enable a powerlifter to increase his bench press capability by allowing them to train in a progressive, incremental fashion as is done by placing a stack of wood boards on their chest and incrementally removing the boards during bench press training as described above. The self-controlled device would allow the powerlifter to safely and more efficiently achieve the same effect of using the wood boards by enabling them to perform the exercise unassisted and giving them the capability of progressing the lift distance in increments smaller or larger than 2″ while the exercise is in progress. However, for the device to be truly safe, effective and desirable, it must enable a means for incremental and selectable lift/lower and hold in place of the barbell while performing the exercise with no barbell attachments. Powerlifting is a very mentally challenging sport and any lift mechanism that requires permanent attachments to the barbell would be distracting and be deemed undesirable.
Product marketability of the invention is as important as its functionality. Not only must the invention provide a means for selectable, incremental lift/lower and hold in place of the barbell during exercise with no barbell attachments to simulate the wood board training technique as described, but, the invention also must do it in a manner that is safe, affordable, compact, portable, relatively light and easy to hand carry to a basement where most powerlifters train. The device should also be inexpensive and easy to ship, very simple to set-up and operate and have a user-friendly and un-intimidating appearance with very minimal user assembly requirements. The device should also utilize a common power source such as 110V AC as found in most households and gyms and be compatible with most existing weight benches since powerlifters typically have their own favorite bench. The invention should also be robust with very little maintenance requirements with the user being able to perform the maintenance if any is ever required.
Numerous patents relate to self-spotting bench press machines, but very few if any have ever been commercially successful over a long period because none provide for all the functionality and marketability features mentioned above.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,989,166 describes the advantage of a spotter device that is adjustable during exercise and permits the vertical distance to be selected as needed during exercise. The reference has a drawback, however, in that permanent attachments to the barbell are used as part of the lift mechanism which can potentially distract the user. Further, the lift mechanism requires a large overhead structure preventing the device from being truly portable and easy to move or set-up.